A small biological molecule made of a nitrogen-containing base, a sugar, and one or more phosphate groups that serves as a building block of nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA.
Nucleotides are the basic units linked together to form DNA and RNA. The sequence of their bases carries genetic information. DNA uses four principal bases: adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine; while RNA uses adenine, uracil, cytosine, and guanine.
Nucleotides also have functions beyond building genetic material. Some, such as ATP, are central to cellular energy transfer.
QUICK FACT
A nucleotide is not the same as a nitrogenous base. The base is only one component of a nucleotide.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
Nucleoside: A nucleoside consists of a nitrogenous base and sugar; a nucleotide is a nucleoside with one or more phosphate groups attached.
SEE ALSO
- DNA
- RNA
- Genetic Material
- Gene
- ATP